2023-12-26 07:00:00
Alain Licoppe, the coordinator of the Wolf Network, a group of experts created in 2017 to monitor the return of the wolf to our territory, is categorical: “Nothing proves that the wolf, seen or to which we attribute attacks on game and cattle, be installed with us permanently.” This is his first reaction to the assertions of a hunter that we relayed last December 13 on our website lavenir.net and in our pages.
As a reminder, this hunter, who insisted on remaining anonymous, explained that “We have felt the presence of the same wolf in the three municipalities of Libramont, Sainte-Ode and Saint-Hubert for a while now. “He has been around for a little over a year. He has already slaughtered sheep near Laneuville, and in Rondu and even in Amberloup where he wreaked havoc, killing 5 sheep.”
This hunter also spoke of changes in the attitude of the game: “We have larger herds of deer and these seem to favor aquatic areas, where the wolf is less agile.”
A German-Polish wolf and an Italian-Alpine wolf
Has Mr. Licoppe a wolf settled permanently in the Ardennes center?
This remains to be confirmed. Rondu’s attacks were due to a German-Polish wolf and Amberloup was the work of a wolf of Italian-Alpine lineage. It is the interest of genetics which makes it possible to identify individuals. The most likely hypothesis is that we are still in the presence of a passing wolf and not a permanent presence zone. When we have two tracks left by the same wolf, we will be able to ask ourselves questions.
Was there never enough evidence?
The problem is that we are not notified of all cases of animals found dead. If we cannot take samples from the carcasses, we cannot reach any conclusion. It’s a shame. I encourage everyone to call us when they discover recent animal remains.
What would be the point of having a “residential” wolf, a permanent presence zone?
All breeders can be compensated if they are in a permanent presence zone (ZPP), this also opens up a lot of possibilities and facilities for them: advice to protect themselves, subsidies, loan of equipment, etc. So, if we are not told everything, we are delaying this ZPP and access to aid for breeders.
Will the wolf move in with us in 2024?
Not everything is attributed to the wolf; there are also stray dogs
Yes, we receive a lot of calls from people hoping to get compensation thinking that their livestock was attacked by a wolf. However, we see that there are many attacks by dogs even on cattle; there have been 7 to 8 cases this year. There have also been 3 or 4 cases of deer killed in the forest by dogs.
The hunter says the wolf is not a scavenger.
This is false, the wolf is an opportunist and if he can eat and fill up on energy without getting tired, he will. It is a scavenger like the fox, the buzzard, the wild boar. When it hunts, it does not always reach its prey. Sometimes it takes 10 attempts to get there. During the hunting season, wolves feed on offal left behind by hunters.
Will the wolf settle in with us in 2024?
It’s entirely possible, because there is the potential. There are enough dispersants coming from Germany and even France to have an installation next year in the Saint-Hubert massif. We also don’t always understand the criteria for choosing a wolf.
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The Wolf Network collects testimonies or photos from walkers, breeders and hunters on its website Réseauloup.be. If you think you have seen a wolf or have detected a clue left by the animal, a telephone number is also available 7 days a week.
1703588980
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